So as a semi-recurring feature (until it finishes and a bit after), I thought it would be useful to update the ongoing transition due to A Sort of Hammerfall, if for no other reason than it may prove useful to someone, somewhere.
Last week was initially hard - somewhat unexpectedly so. It is hard when you know the ending but have to present to others as if all is as it ever was. It is hard to be enthusiastic (frankly) when you are essentially functioning in the role of a lame duck, a caretaker until the next round of management comes in with the likelihood of anything that you do will be undone.
As I said, this was unexpected.
My boss did stop by and discuss things with me. He offered to speak with the two departments involved where I might have a role, for which I am grateful. He also stated the best I could have hoped for, that my salary will be frozen through the transition and then "restarted" when the new person is in place. as will my bonus structure. So, best case, I may be paid my current salary through the end of May. Worst case, it could end the middle of next month.
I have started mapping out budgets based on what I think the likely salary will be. I have assumed a minimum of a 50% cut up to a 71% cut. I have no idea that things will be that extreme, but am taking no chances at this point: better prepared and surprised than unprepared. For now, we are working on starting as if the salary was lowered and dumping the excess by category into savings.
The other thing I have started mapping out is how we want to prepare between now and then. There are certain home repair and car repair items that could happen and probably should while we have a higher income (one of these questions, actually, is if I should sell some more stock and buy a good used car instead of continuing to pour money into the van at this point). None of it is probably terribly expensive, but doing these items would put us on a better track on the other side.
Still, there is a great deal of uncertainty. The next big shoe to drop will be when all of my reports are informed. That will make it all the harder.
Uncertainty is always the hardest to deal with. Still, it sounds like you've made a very logical and workable plan. That will serve you well no matter how things play out.
ReplyDeleteI hope so Leigh. This is not the first time we have played this particular episode and I have more runway than I have had before.
DeleteMy short term work goals are:
1) Keep my current job as long as I can and transition to a new one.
2) Keep that job until the end of 2020.
3) Keep that job until June 2021.
The oldest child graduates in 2021. That give us a little more breathing room.
Are you going to look for opportunities elsewhere tooTB?
ReplyDeleteGlen, I waffle on this. There are some good reasons - youngest in Freshman year of high school - that it makes sense to play for time. Also, moving will undoubtedly put me in a higher market and there is really only one place I want to move to, home.
DeleteThe other side is that my confidence is shaken by all of this - frankly, I do not know that I can do this job again somewhere else. Maybe a career change really is the best thing.
I would go with the used purchase. Research options and Carfax type info is good also.
ReplyDeleteGod bless.
Linda, that is the plan. The Ravishing Mrs. TB has already started looking at options (I barely have 200,000 miles on my car, which is a standard. It can go for a lot longer.
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